Monday, September 4 2006 11:09 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Washington: With the US Senate getting into a month-long session tomorrow, the Bush administration is keen that the Indo-US civilian nuclear act is passed without any changes keeping in mind India's apprehensions and objections to certain provisions.

"The administration is keen on the Senate voting on the S 3709 (United States India Peaceful Atomic Energy Cooperation Act) as it stands today (Sept 4,2006). The administration is quite aware of India's apprehensions, concerns and objections in the Senate Bill especially as it pertains to Sections 106 (Prohibition on certain exports and re-exports) and 107 (End Use Monitoring programme)," sources here told sources.

They said that apparently the thinking was not to start an argument with Senators now when the Senate gets into session tomorrow after its summer break, but use the Conference stage to apply pressure to drop the provisions.

Indications were this Bill would come up in the full chamber sometime towards the third week of September. But no one either on Capitol Hill or elsewhere put a firm timeline.

It has been pointed out that the White House and the administration are keen to have the Senate pass the measure; and prior to the Senate going on recess last month the administration was said to have leaned on Majority Leader Bill Frist to schedule the vote.

That could not be done for time constraints as there were other pressing issues and votes.